Private-sector payroll employment edges up in August

Adjusted for the net strike impact over the month, private-sector employment was up by 102,000 in August. The net strike impact was 85,000, which reflects the return of a small number of strikers in hospitals as well as the communications industry strike.

Total nonfarm payroll employment declined by 105,000 to 131.5 million in August. In the public sector, 158,000 temporary workers completed their work on Census 2000 and left federal payrolls.